WORLD KICKBOXING FEDERATION
(WKBF)
COMPLETE INTEGRATED STATUTES & REGULATIONS
History • Styles • Systems • Disciplines • Governance • Competition • Coaching •
Officiating • Dan • Medical • Safeguarding • Integrity • Appeals
Proposed International Framework — English Edition — 2026
<b>Motto:</b> Discipline — Knowledge — Technique — Integrity — Excellence
<b>LEGAL STATUS NOTICE</b>
This publication is a comprehensive proposed model statute and regulatory framework. It does not by itself create a legal entity, confer governmental recognition, or establish exclusive ownership of the name “World Kickboxing Federation.” Before adoption, the final text should be reviewed against the law of the intended jurisdiction of incorporation, including name and trademark availability, corporate law, sports law, taxation, employment, safeguarding, anti-doping, data protection and dispute resolution.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- CHAPTER 1 — IDENTITY, PURPOSE AND FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
Articles 1–6
- CHAPTER 2 — HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF KICKBOXING
Articles 7–11
- CHAPTER 3 — STYLE, SYSTEM, DISCIPLINE AND RULESET
Articles 12–17
- CHAPTER 4 — TECHNICAL VOCABULARY AND SKILLS
Articles 18–22
- CHAPTER 5 — GOVERNANCE AND ORGANS
Articles 23–29
- CHAPTER 6 — SEPARATION OF POWERS AND DECISION CHAIN
Articles 30–38
- CHAPTER 7 — MEMBERSHIP AND RECOGNITION
Articles 39–44
- CHAPTER 8 — COMPETITIONS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS
Articles 45–53
- CHAPTER 9 — DISCIPLINE RULES FRAMEWORK
Articles 54–60
- CHAPTER 10 — EQUIPMENT, MEDICAL AND EVENT SAFETY
Articles 61–65
- CHAPTER 11 — RANKINGS, TITLES AND RECORDS
Articles 66–71
- CHAPTER 12 — COACHING AND COACH EDUCATION
Articles 72–78
- CHAPTER 13 — REFEREES, JUDGES AND TECHNICAL OFFICIALS
Articles 79–85
- CHAPTER 14 — DAN GRADING AND TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION
Articles 86–91
- CHAPTER 15 — EDUCATION, INSTRUCTORS AND EXAMINERS
Articles 92–96
- CHAPTER 16 — MEDICAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY SYSTEM
Articles 97–102
- CHAPTER 17 — SAFEGUARDING AND SAFE SPORT
Articles 103–108
- CHAPTER 18 — ANTI-DOPING, ETHICS AND COMPETITION INTEGRITY
Articles 109–114
- CHAPTER 19 — LICENSING, DISCIPLINE AND COMPLIANCE
Articles 115–120
- CHAPTER 20 — PROTEST, APPEAL AND REVIEW PROCEDURE
Articles 121–134
- CHAPTER 21 — FINANCE, PROCUREMENT AND AUDIT
Articles 135–138
- CHAPTER 22 — DATA, DIGITAL REGISTRY AND CERTIFICATION
Articles 139–142
- CHAPTER 23 — INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Articles 143–146
- CHAPTER 24 — CALENDAR, WORLD EVENTS AND REPORTING
Articles 147–149
- CHAPTER 25 — AMENDMENTS AND RULE CHANGES
Articles 150–153
- CHAPTER 26 — TRANSITIONAL AND FOUNDING PROVISIONS
Articles 154–158
- CHAPTER 27 — SCHEDULES AND STANDARD FORMS
Articles 159–166
- CHAPTER 28 — ADOPTION, EFFECTIVE DATE AND FINAL PROVISIONS
Articles 167–171
CHAPTER 1 — IDENTITY, PURPOSE AND FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
Article 1 — Name and Status
The proposed organization shall be known as the World Kickboxing Federation (WKBF). Until incorporation, registration, and approval under the applicable law of the chosen jurisdiction, this document is a proposed model statute and regulatory framework, not the constitution of an already registered legal entity.
Article 2 — Mission
WKBF shall seek to develop kickboxing as a safe, ethical, educational and internationally organized sport through common standards for competition, coaching, officiating, education, technical grades, membership, athlete welfare and records.
Article 3 — Five Pillars
The framework is based on Sport, Education, Coaching, Officiating, and Dan Certification.
Article 4 — Values
Discipline, Knowledge, Technique, Integrity and Excellence, together with respect, safety, fairness, transparency, accountability and service, shall guide all WKBF activities.
Article 5 — Athlete-Centred Principle
The health, dignity, safety and fair opportunity of athletes shall take priority over commercial, political or competitive interests.
Article 6 — Non-Exclusivity
WKBF shall not claim to be the sole or highest global kickboxing federation merely by adoption of this document. Name, trademark, domain and organizational conflicts shall be legally reviewed before incorporation.
CHAPTER 2 — HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF KICKBOXING
Article 7 — Historical Foundations
Modern kickboxing emerged from the interaction of several striking traditions and combat-sport environments, including boxing, karate, Muay Thai and other Asian and Western systems. No single traditional art shall be treated as the sole historical source of all kickboxing.
Article 8 — Modern Development
During the twentieth century, new competition formats combined boxing-style hand techniques with kicking techniques under increasingly defined rules, protective equipment and officiating systems.
Article 9 — Western Organizational Development
Historical accounts from established international organizations describe important developments in the United States and Europe during the 1970s, including early Full Contact world events and the formation of WAKO. These are historical reference points rather than exclusive claims of origin.
Article 10 — Evolution into Regulated Sport
Kickboxing developed from martial-arts practice into regulated competition through standardized rules, weight classes, safety procedures, officials, championships, rankings and records.
Article 11 — Historical Integrity
WKBF educational material shall distinguish documented history from institutional claims, oral traditions and later interpretations.
CHAPTER 3 — STYLE, SYSTEM, DISCIPLINE AND RULESET
Article 12 — Style
A Style is a technical, tactical and cultural approach to training. Examples may include Dutch-style training, Japanese-derived approaches, American Full Contact approaches and other schools.
Article 13 — System
A System is an organized method of instruction, conditioning, tactics, defense, progression and athlete development.
Article 14 — Discipline
A Discipline is a formal competition format governed by a defined Ruleset. Competition permission for a technique shall depend on the Ruleset of that Discipline.
Article 15 — Separation of Concepts
A training style shall not automatically be treated as a competition Discipline. A coach may teach techniques that are not legal in a particular competition.
Article 16 — Core WKBF Disciplines
The proposed core Disciplines are Full Contact, Low Kick, K-1 Style, Point Fighting, Light Contact, Kick Light and Musical Forms.
Article 17 — Technical Expansion
The Technical Commission may propose additional Disciplines, youth formats, adaptive or para-kickboxing formats and special competition divisions, subject to safety review and approval.
CHAPTER 4 — TECHNICAL VOCABULARY AND SKILLS
Article 18 — Hand Techniques
Jab, Cross, Hook, Uppercut, Backfist and Spinning Backfist where permitted by the applicable Ruleset.
Article 19 — Kicking Techniques
Front Kick, Round Kick, Side Kick, Hook Kick, Axe Kick, Back Kick, Spinning Kick, High Kick, Body Kick and Low Kick where permitted.
Article 20 — Knee Techniques
Straight, Curved, Jumping and Flying Knees may be taught generally but are legal in competition only where the applicable Ruleset expressly permits them.
Article 21 — Defense
Block, Parry, Cover, Slip, Roll, Pull Back, Check, Evade, Footwork, Angle Change and Counter are recognized defensive concepts.
Article 22 — Technical Principle
Teaching a technique does not make that technique legal in competition. Coaches and athletes shall follow the published Ruleset of the event.
CHAPTER 5 — GOVERNANCE AND ORGANS
Article 23 — General Congress
The General Congress shall be the supreme policy-making body within the limits of applicable law and this Statute. It shall approve fundamental governance matters, reports, elections or appointments reserved to it, and amendments.
Article 24 — Executive Board
The Executive Board shall implement approved strategy, oversee administration, finance, development and international relations, and shall not arbitrarily replace independent technical, medical, safeguarding or appeal decisions.
Article 25 — President
The President shall provide high-level representation and strategic leadership. The office shall not, solely by virtue of title, alter a referee result, medical clearance, safeguarding finding or independent appeal decision.
Article 26 — Secretary General
The Secretary General shall coordinate administration, records, communications and execution of approved decisions and shall not substitute administrative judgment for specialist authority.
Article 27 — Standing Commissions
Technical, Rules, Coaching, Education, Referee and Judging, Dan Grading, Competition, Medical, Anti-Doping, Safeguarding, Ethics and Integrity, and Appeals functions shall be organized through competent bodies.
Article 28 — Continental and National Bodies
Continental bodies shall coordinate regional development. Recognized national bodies shall administer national activities consistently with the WKBF framework and applicable national law.
Article 29 — Clubs and Academies
Clubs and academies shall provide qualified instruction, safe facilities, athlete registration, safeguarding procedures and accurate records.
CHAPTER 6 — SEPARATION OF POWERS AND DECISION CHAIN
Article 30 — Functional Separation
Policy, execution, technical decision-making, independent protection, investigation, adjudication and appeal shall be separated as far as reasonably possible.
Article 31 — One-Person / One-Case Rule
No person shall act simultaneously as original decision-maker, implementing officer, independent reviewer and appeal authority in the same case.
Article 32 — Four Red Lines
Decision-maker shall not be the appeal reviewer; executor shall not be the independent auditor; an interested person shall not act as neutral official; administrative power shall not replace independent specialist authority.
Article 33 — General Decision Chain
Initiation → Assessment → Decision → Notice → Review/Protest → Appeal → Final Internal Decision → Official Record.
Article 34 — Delegated Authority
Delegated authority shall be written, limited by subject and duration, and subject to reporting and review.
Article 35 — Emergency Authority
A temporary emergency decision may be taken to protect life, health, security or the integrity of an event. It must be proportionate, recorded and subject to post-event review.
Article 36 — Conflict of Interest
Financial, family, coaching, club, employment or other relationships that could reasonably affect impartiality must be disclosed.
Article 37 — Recusal
A conflicted official shall withdraw from the relevant decision. The withdrawal and replacement shall be documented.
Article 38 — Written Decisions
Material decisions shall identify the authority, applicable rule, essential evidence, decision, reasons, effective date and available review or appeal route.
CHAPTER 7 — MEMBERSHIP AND RECOGNITION
Article 39 — Membership Classes
Proposed classes may include Founding, Full, Provisional, Associate, Individual, Institutional, Club, Academy and Honorary membership, subject to applicable law.
Article 40 — National Recognition
Recognition of a national body shall require legal existence or lawful operating capacity, governance, technical capability, safeguarding, medical and anti-doping arrangements where applicable, and reporting capacity.
Article 41 — Provisional and Full Recognition
Provisional recognition may be granted for a defined period with conditions. Full recognition requires completion of the specified governance and technical requirements.
Article 42 — Membership Records
Each recognized body and individual shall receive a unique identifier and maintain accurate registration data.
Article 43 — Suspension and Termination
Suspension or termination must identify the legal or regulatory basis, duration or conditions, and available procedural rights.
Article 44 — Recognition of Prior Credentials
Previous qualifications may be evaluated through documented Recognition of Prior Learning or equivalency procedures. Automatic recognition shall not be assumed.
CHAPTER 8 — COMPETITIONS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS
Article 45 — Competition Levels
Club, Regional/Local, National, National Open, Continental Open/Cup, Continental Championship, International Open, World Cup/Grand Prix and World Championship may be recognized.
Article 46 — Event Sanctioning
Official events require authorization, published Rulesets, qualified officials, medical arrangements, emergency planning, registration procedures and an official report.
Article 47 — Athlete Eligibility
Athletes shall satisfy membership, age, weight, medical, identification and event-specific eligibility requirements.
Article 48 — Weigh-In
Weigh-in procedures shall be published in advance. Dangerous weight cutting, severe dehydration and coercive weight practices are prohibited.
Article 49 — Draw and Seeding
Draw and seeding shall follow published criteria and be recorded to permit later audit.
Article 50 — Competition Control Chain
Competition Director → Technical Supervisor → Chief Referee → Referees/Judges → Table Officials. No operational officer may arbitrarily change a technical match result.
Article 51 — Official Results
Results become official only after the designated technical and results-control process is completed.
Article 52 — Exhibition Matches
Exhibition contests shall be clearly identified and shall not enter official rankings or athlete records unless formally approved as official competition.
Article 53 — World Championships
World Championships shall have published qualification, categories, Rulesets, officials, medical safeguards, protest procedures and official results.
CHAPTER 9 — DISCIPLINE RULES FRAMEWORK
Article 54 — Full Contact
A ring-based format emphasizing authorized punches and kicks to permitted targets under controlled competition rules.
Article 55 — Low Kick
A ring discipline permitting authorized punches and kicks, including permitted low kicks, under its specific Ruleset.
Article 56 — K-1 Style
A ring discipline combining punches, kicks and specified knee techniques within an expressly defined Ruleset, including clinch limitations where applicable.
Article 57 — Point Fighting
A controlled, point-based format emphasizing speed, accuracy, timing and controlled technique.
Article 58 — Light Contact
A controlled-contact format emphasizing technical execution, movement, timing and combinations.
Article 59 — Kick Light
A controlled-contact tatami discipline combining authorized hand and kicking techniques under its specific Ruleset.
Article 60 — Musical Forms
A performance discipline evaluated by defined criteria such as technical quality, control, difficulty, rhythm, coordination, creativity and overall execution.
CHAPTER 10 — EQUIPMENT, MEDICAL AND EVENT SAFETY
Article 61 — Equipment Standards
Protective equipment shall be appropriate to the age, category, Discipline and published event rules.
Article 62 — Medical Coverage
Official events shall have appropriate medical personnel, emergency equipment, referral arrangements and an Emergency Action Plan.
Article 63 — Head Injury and Concussion
Suspected concussion or significant head injury requires medical assessment and, where indicated, removal from competition and medically appropriate return-to-sport clearance.
Article 64 — Injury Reporting
Significant incidents shall be documented through an official incident report and reviewed for preventive improvements.
Article 65 — Safety Authority of Officials
Officials may stop a contest when required for safety under the applicable Ruleset. Safety decisions shall not be overridden for commercial or competitive reasons.
CHAPTER 11 — RANKINGS, TITLES AND RECORDS
Article 66 — World Ranking
A ranking model may combine event value, result, opponent strength, recency and participation quality.
The formula must be published before use.
Article 67 — Anti-Inflation
Repeated low-value contests shall not create artificial ranking inflation.
Article 68 — Ranking Freeze and Review
Ranking changes, corrections and appeals shall be recorded. A defined freeze period may be used before major championships.
Article 69 — Athlete Passport
The digital athlete passport may contain verified competition results, titles, rankings, licenses and approved credentials.
Article 70 — Official Records
Records must distinguish official contests, exhibitions, amateur/professional categories where applicable, and verified from unverified information.
Article 71 — Titles and Awards
Championship titles, annual awards, Hall of Fame recognition and special honors shall have published eligibility and approval procedures.
CHAPTER 12 — COACHING AND COACH EDUCATION
Article 72 — Coaching Ladder
L1 Assistant Coach; L2 Coach; L3 Senior Coach; L4 International Coach; L5 Master Coach Educator.
Article 73 — Suggested Training Load
Indicative minimum learning hours may be 60 for L1, 100 for L2, 160 for L3, 220 for L4 and 300+ for L5, supplemented by practical experience and assessment.
Article 74 — Curriculum
Technical skills, tactics, athlete development, conditioning, basic sport science, safety, safeguarding, anti-doping, nutrition and weight management, psychology and corner coaching shall be covered at appropriate levels.
Article 75 — Assessment
Certification shall use written or oral knowledge assessment, practical demonstration, teaching assessment and documented experience as appropriate.
Article 76 — Coach Internship and Logbook
Progression may require supervised practice, coaching hours, athlete-development records and reflective learning.
Article 77 — Continuing Professional Development
Licenses should be renewed through continuing education, ethics, safety updates and evidence of active professional development.
Article 78 — Coach Educators and Examiners
Educators and examiners must meet higher competency standards and must be independent from candidates in matters they assess.
CHAPTER 13 — REFEREES, JUDGES AND TECHNICAL OFFICIALS
Article 79 — Official Hierarchy
Competition Director → Technical Supervisor → Chief Referee → Referee/Judge → Timekeeper, Scorekeeper, Kick Counter and other Table Officials.
Article 80 — Referee Levels
L1 National; L2 Advanced National; L3 Continental; L4 International; L5 International Referee Educator/Examiner.
Article 81 — Referee Academy
The Referee Academy shall provide rules education, practical testing, video assessment, calibration, ethics training and continuing development.
Article 82 — Independence
No coach, athlete, promoter, sponsor or executive officer may improperly pressure an official to obtain a desired result.
Article 83 — Conflict of Interest
An official shall not officiate where a material relationship or interest creates a reasonable concern about impartiality.
Article 84 — Technology
Video review and digital scoring may support quality control where authorized. Human officials remain responsible for decisions assigned to them.
Article 85 — Referee Evaluation
Promotion and retention may consider knowledge tests, practical performance, evaluations, event experience, calibration and conduct.
CHAPTER 14 — DAN GRADING AND TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION
Article 86 — Dan Philosophy
Dan progression is based on Competence + Knowledge + Service + Leadership.
Article 87 — Dan Levels
Dan 1 Foundation; Dan 2 Development; Dan 3 Coach; Dan 4 Senior Coach; Dan 5 Master Coach; Dan 6
International Expert; Dan 7 International Master; Dan 8 Grand Master; Dan 9 Senior Grand Master; Dan 10 Supreme Grand Master.
Article 88 — Grade Requirements
Each grade shall have published technical, theoretical, experience, ethical and, at advanced levels, leadership and service requirements.
Article 89 — Examination Independence
Examiners must be competent and sufficiently independent. A person should not determine an appeal concerning their own grading decision.
Article 90 — No Purchase of Rank
Administrative fees may cover legitimate costs but cannot substitute for demonstrated competence.
Article 91 — Digital Certificates
Certificates may use a unique code such as WKBF-DAN-01-2026-00001 and a verification mechanism such as QR validation.
CHAPTER 15 — EDUCATION, INSTRUCTORS AND EXAMINERS
Article 92 — Education Commission
The Education Commission shall maintain curricula, educator standards, examination frameworks and quality assurance.
Article 93 — Specialist Teaching
Medical, legal, safeguarding, anti-doping and other specialist subjects shall be taught or validated by suitably qualified specialists.
Article 94 — Examiner Standards
Examiners shall be trained in assessment methods, consistency, documentation, conflicts of interest and procedural fairness.
Article 95 — Recognition of Prior Learning
RPL may recognize documented prior education or experience after equivalency assessment; it shall not be used to bypass essential safety or competency requirements.
Article 96 — Digital Academy
WKBF may operate an online learning environment with secure learner identity, assessment records, course completion and educator oversight.
CHAPTER 16 — MEDICAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY SYSTEM
Article 97 — Medical Commission
The Medical Commission shall advise on medical standards, event clearance, injury management, health education and emergency preparedness.
Article 98 — Medical Clearance
Where required by the event category or applicable law, athletes and officials shall provide appropriate medical clearance.
Article 99 — Confidentiality
Medical information shall be processed only for legitimate professional and legal purposes and protected through access controls.
Article 100 — Weight Management
Education shall emphasize safe nutrition, hydration and gradual weight management. Dangerous dehydration practices are prohibited.
Article 101 — Emergency Action Plan
Each sanctioned event shall identify medical leadership, emergency communication, ambulance or referral pathways and incident documentation.
Article 102 — Return to Sport
Return after significant injury shall follow appropriate medical assessment and clearance requirements.
CHAPTER 17 — SAFEGUARDING AND SAFE SPORT
Article 103 — Safe Environment
WKBF shall promote an environment free from abuse, harassment, intimidation, exploitation and retaliation.
Article 104 — Minors
Activities involving minors shall include appropriate consent, supervision, safeguarding boundaries and reporting mechanisms.
Article 105 — Coach-Athlete Boundaries
Coaches shall maintain professional boundaries and shall not exploit their authority for financial, sexual, personal or other improper benefit.
Article 106 — Reporting
Reports shall be received through secure channels and handled with confidentiality consistent with due process and applicable law.
Article 107 — Safeguarding Independence
A safeguarding officer shall not determine a case in which they are personally conflicted.
Article 108 — Non-Retaliation
Good-faith reporting shall not result in retaliation, intimidation or adverse treatment.
CHAPTER 18 — ANTI-DOPING, ETHICS AND COMPETITION INTEGRITY
Article 109 — Anti-Doping
Where an applicable anti-doping framework governs an event, athletes and support personnel shall comply with it and receive appropriate education.
Article 110 — Athlete Responsibility
Athletes shall be educated about prohibited substances and methods, medication risks and supplement contamination.
Article 111 — Manipulation of Competition
Match fixing, deliberate manipulation, bribery, improper betting and misuse of confidential competition information are prohibited.
Article 112 — Ethics Commission
An independent Ethics and Integrity function shall handle matters within its assigned authority.
Article 113 — Due Process
Persons facing disciplinary action shall receive notice of allegations, a reasonable opportunity to respond, an impartial decision and applicable appeal rights.
Article 114 — Investigation / Adjudication Separation
Investigation, charging or prosecution, adjudication and appeal should be assigned to separate persons or bodies wherever practicable.
CHAPTER 19 — LICENSING, DISCIPLINE AND COMPLIANCE
Article 115 — Licenses
Athletes, coaches, officials, clubs, academies and event personnel may require licenses with unique identifiers and validity periods.
Article 116 — Misrepresentation
Forgery, falsification of credentials, manipulation of records and knowingly false official information constitute serious violations.
Article 117 — Sanctions
Sanctions may include warning, education, probation, suspension, withdrawal of license, exclusion from an event, or other lawful measures proportionate to the violation.
Article 118 — Interim Measures
Temporary protective measures may be imposed where necessary to protect safety, evidence, competition integrity or vulnerable persons, subject to review.
Article 119 — Reinstatement
Suspended persons or organizations may seek reinstatement upon satisfaction of stated conditions.
Article 120 — Audit and Compliance
WKBF may conduct reasonable compliance reviews of recognized bodies, clubs, academies and sanctioned events.
CHAPTER 20 — PROTEST, APPEAL AND REVIEW PROCEDURE
Article 121 — General Route
The standard route is Decision → Notice → Protest/Review → Decision → Appeal → Independent Appeal Panel → Final Internal Decision → Registry.
Article 122 — Competition Protest Deadline
Unless the published event regulations provide otherwise, a competition protest concerning an announced result should be filed within 30 minutes of the official result announcement.
Article 123 — Administrative and Disciplinary Appeal Deadline
Unless a special rule applies, an administrative or disciplinary appeal should be filed within 14 calendar days of formal notification.
Article 124 — Appeal After Competition Protest
Where a further appeal is permitted, it should normally be filed within 72 hours of notification of the protest decision.
Article 125 — Admissibility Review
The receiving body shall determine whether the appellant has standing, the deadline was met, the matter is appealable and the required filing information is present.
Article 126 — Possible Protest Outcomes
A protest may be Upheld, Partially Upheld, Rejected or Dismissed.
Article 127 — Response Period
In an appeal, the responding party should normally receive 5–7 working days to provide a response, unless urgency requires a shorter lawful period.
Article 128 — Appeal Decision Time
The appeal panel should aim to decide within 15 working days after the record is complete, extendable to 30 working days for complex matters with written notice of the reason.
Article 129 — Appeal Outcomes
An appeal may be Upheld, Partially Upheld, Rejected, Dismissed or Remanded for a specified procedural correction.
Article 130 — No Self-Review
The original decision-maker shall not vote as an appeal panel member in the same matter.
Article 131 — Late Filing
Late filings may be accepted only where the applicable authority identifies a justified reason such as non-receipt of notice, system failure, serious incident or another circumstance beyond reasonable control.
Article 132 — No Automatic Acceptance
Failure of a party to respond within a deadline does not automatically mean the appeal is accepted.
Article 133 — Stay of Execution
A decision remains effective unless the competent authority orders a stay because immediate implementation would create disproportionate or irreversible harm.
Article 134 — Final Internal Decision
After all internal appeal stages are exhausted, the final internal decision shall be entered in the official record, without prejudice to rights available under applicable law or valid external dispute mechanisms.
CHAPTER 21 — FINANCE, PROCUREMENT AND AUDIT
Article 135 — Financial Controls
Budgeting, authorization, payment, procurement and independent review should be separated.
Article 136 — Procurement
Material procurement shall be documented, conflicts disclosed and approvals recorded.
Article 137 — Financial Reporting
Annual financial reporting shall be prepared to the extent required by law and the organization’s governance rules.
Article 138 — Restricted Authority
No single officer should have unrestricted authority over contracting, payment and independent verification of the same transaction.
CHAPTER 22 — DATA, DIGITAL REGISTRY AND CERTIFICATION
Article 139 — Data Governance
Personal data shall be collected for defined purposes, limited to what is necessary, secured and retained according to applicable law.
Article 140 — Digital Audit Trail
Official digital records should preserve a reliable audit trail showing material changes, dates and responsible users.
Article 141 — Credential Verification
Digital certificates may provide public verification of authenticity without unnecessarily exposing personal information.
Article 142 — Athlete and Official Passports
Digital passports may consolidate verified licenses, qualifications, competition results, rankings and continuing education.
CHAPTER 23 — INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Article 143 — Development Programs
WKBF may establish development programs for youth, women, adaptive/para-kickboxing, coaches, referees, educators and administrators.
Article 144 — Exchanges
Coach exchanges, referee exchanges, technical camps and educator seminars may be used to improve international consistency.
Article 145 — Research
Non-identifying data and research may support evidence-based rule, education and safety improvements.
Article 146 — Technology and Innovation
Technology shall support safety, transparency, education and quality control without eliminating accountable human responsibility.
CHAPTER 24 — CALENDAR, WORLD EVENTS AND REPORTING
Article 147 — Annual Calendar
The annual calendar may include championships, cups, Grand Prix events, education programs, CPD, congresses, ranking cycles and annual reports.
Article 148 — World Cup and Grand Prix
World Cups and Grand Prix events may serve as international ranking competitions under published qualification and points rules.
Article 149 — Annual Reports
Annual reports should cover sporting activity, safety, integrity, education, membership, finance and major disciplinary or appeal statistics in a lawful and privacy-conscious manner.
CHAPTER 25 — AMENDMENTS AND RULE CHANGES
Article 150 — Statute Amendments
Statute amendments shall follow the approval process required by the applicable law and this Statute.
Article 151 — Technical Rule Changes
Technical rule changes should be proposed through the Technical Commission, reviewed for safety and implementation impact, approved by the competent authority and published with an effective date.
Article 152 — Notice and Transition
Material changes should be communicated sufficiently in advance and should not retroactively alter established rights or results without a legally valid basis.
Article 153 — Version Control
Every regulation shall carry a version number, approval date, effective date and responsible authority.
CHAPTER 26 — TRANSITIONAL AND FOUNDING PROVISIONS
Article 154 — Founding Committee
During formation, a Founding Committee may perform limited start-up functions for a defined period. Its authority shall be documented and transitional.
Article 155 — Transfer to Permanent Organs
Upon lawful incorporation and election or appointment of permanent organs, transitional powers shall be reviewed and terminated or transferred. Article 156 — Existing Credentials
Historical certificates, ranks and qualifications shall be assessed through documented recognition procedures rather than automatic conversion.
Article 157 — Legal Compliance
Where any provision conflicts with mandatory law in the jurisdiction of operation, the mandatory law shall prevail and the organization shall amend the affected provision.
Article 158 — Interpretation
Questions of interpretation shall be resolved first through the competent internal authority, subject to the appeal and dispute-resolution provisions and applicable law.
CHAPTER 27 — SCHEDULES AND STANDARD FORMS
Article 159 — Role Matrix
General Congress: policy and fundamental governance. Executive Board: strategy and execution. President: representation and strategic leadership. Secretary General: administration. Technical bodies: technical decisions. Medical/Safeguarding/Anti-Doping/Ethics bodies: specialist protective and integrity decisions. Appeals body: independent review.
Article 160 — Competition Chain
Competition Director → Technical Supervisor → Chief Referee → Referees/Judges → Table Officials → Official Results.
Article 161 — Appeal Chain
Original Decision → Notice → Protest/Review → Decision → Appeal → Independent Panel → Final Internal Decision → Registry.
Article 162 — Conflict Declaration Form
The standard form should record name, role, case, nature of conflict, disclosure, recusal decision, replacement official, date and signature.
Article 163 — Decision Form
The standard decision record should identify Case ID, authority, rule, evidence considered, decision, reasons, effective date, appeal route, deadline and signatures.
Article 164 — Protest/Appeal Form
The standard filing should identify the claimant, challenged decision, grounds, evidence, requested remedy, date, contact details and signature.
Article 165 — Event Checklist
Sanction, medical coverage, emergency plan, equipment, officials, athlete registration, weigh-in, results, protest process, incident reporting and final event report.
Article 166 — Credential Codes
Examples include WKBF-DAN-01-2026-00001, WKBF-REF-2026-00001, WKBF-APPEAL-2026-00001, WKBF-NF-XXX-001, WKBF-CLUB-XXX-0001 and WKBF-ACA-XXX-0001.
CHAPTER 28 — ADOPTION, EFFECTIVE DATE AND FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 167 — Proposed Adoption
The final legal text shall be approved by the competent founding or general assembly and executed in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction of incorporation.
Article 168 — Effective Date
Each part shall identify its effective date. Technical and operational rules may have separate implementation dates.
Article 169 — Official Language
The organization may designate English as the controlling international working language and publish translations for accessibility. The legally controlling version shall be specified in the adopted statute.
Article 170 — Severability
If one provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain effective to the extent permitted by law.
Article 171 — Final Statement
This integrated framework is intended to provide a coherent model for a professional international kickboxing federation. It must be legally reviewed, registered where required, and supplemented by detailed discipline-specific Rulesets, medical rules, safeguarding rules, anti-doping rules, membership bylaws, financial regulations and technical manuals before being represented as a fully operative federation code.
COMPARATIVE REFERENCE NOTE
The drafting approach was informed by publicly available official kickboxing governance materials, including WAKO’s statutes and bylaws, competition rules overview, forms and documents, ethics and disciplinary resources, policies, and historical account. These sources were used as comparative references; this WKBF document is not presented as a copy of another organization’s statutes or rules.
Official comparative sources reviewed include the WAKO Statutes and Bylaws page, Rules Overview, Rules/Forms & Documents, Ethics & Disciplinary Rules, Policies Overview, and WAKO’s published historical account.
Drafting note: the WKBF framework intentionally separates governance, operational execution, technical decisions, medical/safeguarding decisions, disciplinary adjudication and appeals so that no single official controls every stage of the same matter.
